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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29025255">An acrobat's remorse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcdn11/pseuds/mcdn11'>mcdn11</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Azula's end [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Azula (Avatar) Needs a Hug, F/F, Fire Nation (Avatar), Fire Nation Royal Family, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Ty Lee (Avatar)-centric</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:27:16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,098</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29025255</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcdn11/pseuds/mcdn11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ty Lee was freed from her prison. She thought she would be happy, but news of a certain firebender stop her from achieving happiness.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azula &amp; Mai &amp; Ty Lee, Azula &amp; Mai (Avatar), Azula &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Azula/Ozai (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Mai &amp; Ty Lee (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Azula's end [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2129310</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An acrobat's remorse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please read my past work before this one. Some people asked for Ty Lee's reaction, so here it is. I hope you like it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For having betrayed the Crown Princess, Ty Lee found her prison accommodations rather good. She expected to have been locked in the Boiling Rock, or in a secluded prison in the middle of a volcano. She did not expect for Azula to lock her and Mai in the same prison where the Kyoshi Warriors were locked. As ruthless as Azula was, the really treated her spoils of war well. The Kyoshi Warriors were never mistreated or abused in their prison, and they had plenty of time free to go out in the sun.</p><p> </p><p>At first the Kyoshi Warriors hated her and Mai. After all, they helped Azula beat and imprison them, so it was a normal reaction. But nobody could deny Ty Lee friendship for too long. Before they knew it, the acrobat had befriended the Kyoshi Warriors and started to teach them chi-blocking.</p><p> </p><p>Chi-blocking left an acid feeling in Ty Lee’s stomach. It’s what she used when she saved Mai from Azula, when she betrayed Azula. The acrobat couldn’t say that she regretted doing it, but she wished there was another way to have saved Mai’s life. Her best-friend was about to be killed by her - friend? Lover? Boss? - whatever Azula was to her. As much as she loved Azula, Ty Lee couldn’t allow the princess to kill Mai.</p><p> </p><p>Just weeks before, the prisoner had promised the princess that she would never leave her side. It was during one of their clandestine meetings, in one of the secret passages of the palace that nobody but Azula knew about. It was the one act of defiance Azula ever did against her father. Fire Lord Ozai, the narcissistic and brutal ruler who would have no qualms against burning his daughter if he ever found out her preferences when it came to physical attraction. But the princess still did it. With her, and in the palace.</p><p> </p><p>They never told anyone. They couldn’t tell anyone. But that was enough for Ty Lee. She loved being with the princess and vowed never to leave her side. She broke that promise when she chose Mai over the princess, when she chi-blocked the princess when her back was turned. It hurt to remember all the times they had, and it hurt even more knowing that given the opportunity, she would betray Azula all over again if it meant that Mai got to live.</p><p> </p><p>When the day of Sozin’s comet arrived, none of the prisoners left their cells. It was in this day when the fate of the world would be decided. Ty Lee didn’t care much about that, she just wanted Azula to be safe. Fire Lord Ozai was probably off fighting the Avatar, and Azula was probably by his side. In such a battle, the acrobat could only wish for the princess to be spared.</p><p> </p><p>It was a surprise when the Fire Nation guards came and freed her, Mai, and the Kyoshi Warriors.</p><p> </p><p>“By orders of the Fire Lord, all prisoners of war are to be liberated and freed from their charges.” The warden declared, reading the parchment in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>Mai and Ty Lee exchanged a look. There was no way in Agni that Fire Lord Ozai would exonerate them, any prisoners of war for that matter. And Azula had been the one to put them in the prison in the first place. If what the parchment said was true, if this wasn’t all an elaborate ruse, then it meant that somebody else had been named Fire Lord. It would be someone who wanted to end the war, who knew the meaning and practiced forgiveness, and someone who did not care much for those labeled traitors.</p><p> </p><p>“The Kyoshi Warriors, Lady Mai, and Lady Ty Lee are to be escorted to the Palace, where the coronation will take place.” The warden voiced as he kept reading the order.</p><p> </p><p>That confirmed the suspicions that Fire Lord Ozai was not the Fire Lord. It also meant that Azula was probably not the one being crowned. Yes, the princess could have wanted them there to boast, but that wasn’t really her style. Besides, Azula had said that she never wanted to see her nor Mai ever again, and when Azula said something like that after being betrayed, Ty Lee was sure that the princess meant it.</p><p> </p><p>The ride to the palace was tense. The Kyoshi Warriors all walked together, glancing with distrust at the soldiers surrounding them. Mai looked as neutral as always, but Ty Lee could see that her aura was grey but with a hint of blue, meaning that she held some sort of fear walking towards the palace. Ty Lee for her part was nervous. Her hands never stopped fidgeting, and she looked at the soldiers surrounding the group, and never stopped talking.</p><p> </p><p>“Do I look good? Is my braid ok? Oh spirits, I think I’m breaking out with all of this bad energy.”</p><p> </p><p>Mai sighed. “Don’t worry about how you look Ty Lee. There are other things to worry about.”</p><p> </p><p>“Like what?” Ty Lee asked, passing her hands through her braid to make sure it still looked good.</p><p> </p><p>“Like the fact that we may all get killed once we get to the palace.”</p><p> </p><p>Ty Lee grimaced. “Yeah, but I don’t think that will happen. If they wanted to kill us, they would’ve done it in the prison.”</p><p> </p><p>“Not if they want to make it a public execution.” Mai replied</p><p> </p><p>“But look, we’re not in shackles. See, I can walk with my hands without a problem.” To prove her point, Ty Lee flipped upside down and began to walk on her hands.</p><p> </p><p>“The floor is dirty.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll just wash my hands after.” Ty Lee laughed. Mai kept looking straight ahead, nervous about her near future. The acrobat frowned and stood up to walk with her legs again. “Come on Mai be happier. We’re finally free!”</p><p> </p><p>“Yet still surrounded by soldiers.”</p><p> </p><p>Ty Lee tried not to roll her eyes at Mai’s pessimism. She loved Mai, she betrayed Azula for Mai, but the knife-thrower was still so dry sometimes. It was sometimes too much for Ty Lee. She was trying to make the best out of the situation, but Mai insisted on being gloomy. She pondered, if angsty Zuko and Mai ever had a child, it would be the gloomiest and most depressed kid with anger issues in the world. She laughed at the idea.</p><p> </p><p>Before they knew, the escorted group arrived at the Fire Nation palace. The palace was full of foreigners, with some sages here and there, but all the servants were gone. Ty Lee looked around to try and find any familiar faces but failed as she was swarmed by foreigners.</p><p> </p><p>In the distance, she was able to find Zuko. Well, it must’ve been Zuko. He still had the scar, but his aura seemed to be a combination of black, grey, and green. Under his eyes were huge bags, and he looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. Around him were the rest of the Avatar’s group. The cute Water Tribe boy, the Water Tribe girl, the Avatar, the blind earthbender, and the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors.</p><p> </p><p>“Look, there’s Zuko!” Ty Lee grabbed Mai’s hand and pulled her towards the group.</p><p> </p><p>“Zuko! It’s so good to see you!” Ty Lee said as she ran towards the group. The prince lifted his eyes and met hers. His eyes were red and tired, and he looked more depressed than ever.</p><p> </p><p>Ty Lee gave him a big hug as a greeting, but Zuko didn’t return it.</p><p> </p><p>“Why are you so gloomy? You’re acting like me.” Mai said trying to lighten the mood. Zuko dropped his head and didn’t reply.</p><p> </p><p>Ty Lee furrowed her brows as she looked at the Avatar and the group. “Why is he like that? Ozai is defeated right? Is he sad because Ozai is dead? I mean, I get that it’s his father. Am I being insensitive?”</p><p> </p><p>“Ozai is defeated, but he’s alive. I took his bending.” The avatar said.</p><p> </p><p>“Then why is he like that?”</p><p> </p><p>The Water Tribe girl glanced at the prince and then looked at the acrobat. “He’s like that because of Azula.”</p><p> </p><p>Ty Lee’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the princess. Even in her absence, the thought of Azula made her weak. “Azula?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course he is.” Mai sighed. “She always does things to make him feel bad, so ignore her. Ever since they were children, all Azula has been good at is making other people miserable. Even now, look at Zuko! The 100-year War has just ended, he’s going to be crowned Fire Lord, and he’s still depressed because of Azula. If you ask me, you should imprison her in some Water Tribe prison and let her rot there with her bending.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em>Mai!</em> How can you say that?!” Ty Lee asked horrified.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s what she did to us. And don’t act like it’s a bad suggestion. After everything she has done, it would be a lenient punishment.”</p><p> </p><p>Ty Lee glared at her friend. “You’re just saying that because you’re mad the put us in prison.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well I should be mad, and you should be livid! You were always goody goody with her and look where that got you! You’re just in denial that she’s a monster.”</p><p> </p><p>“Azula is dead.” Zuko spoke up. His voice was hoarse, and he met Mai’s gaze.</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Mai asked</p><p> </p><p>“Azula is dead, so stop saying that she was a monster. You have no idea what she had to go through.”</p><p> </p><p>“How did she die?”</p><p> </p><p>“She killed herself.” Ty Lee gasped and felt a stab on her heart. Azula, the invincible princess, had killed herself? It didn’t make any sense. Zuko paid no attention to Ty lee and continued to speak. “She was abandoned by everyone. You, me, mother, and Ozai. He shouldn’t be called father, not after what he did to her.”</p><p> </p><p>“What did he do to her?” Mai asked. As far as she had known Ozai was the perfect father to Azula.</p><p> </p><p>Zuko lowered his gaze and looked at his hands. “He did stuff to her that a father shouldn’t do to his daughter. He touched her and…h-he said he started when mother left. She was only nine when mother left. S-she never said anything! She probably never knew it was wrong. And yet still, after he did that, he burned her. The same burn he gave me, he gave to her. I should’ve been a better brother. If I had paid attention, then maybe she’d still be alive. She’d be here with us.”</p><p> </p><p>The prince began to cry. Mai stepped forward to give him a hug. Zuko sobbed on Mai’s shoulder, the noble patting his back. She didn’t cry, she never had cried, but she was still sad. Sad and shocked. She had no idea any of that had happened to Azula. The princess had always seemed so controlled and powerful, it was difficult to think that her life had not been easy. She was supposed to have been the favored child of Ozai.</p><p> </p><p>Ty Lee’s ears were ringing. Her vision blurred, and her chest felt empty and heavy at the same time. Her breathing became erratic, her heart began to beat too quickly, too hard.</p><p> </p><p>“Ty Lee?” The Water Tribe girl asked with concern lacing her voice. “Are you ok?”</p><p> </p><p>The acrobat ran away towards the inside of the palace. She ran through the maze-like corridors with expertise, ran towards her favorite spot of the palace. She opened the secret doorway and ran to the secret passage without thinking about closing the door. Ty Lee stopped when she saw the room where Azula and her passed time together, loving each other in secret.</p><p> </p><p>She walked slowly in the room, taking everything to heart. The way the sheets were folded, the way the floor sounded when she walked, the scent of the air. She stopped in front of the wall.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>PA+TL</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Ty Lee traced the letters with her finger, remembering when such letters were carved on the red wood of the palace.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“What are you doing Ty Lee?” Azula asked the acrobat.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Ty Lee turned around and smiled. “I saw that a lot of people did this in the woods near my summer house. It’s a way to show their affection.” She remembered how she avoided using the world love, even though it was what she felt towards the princess. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s idiotic.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“No it’s not! This way you’ll remember me even when I’m far away.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Azula raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said you were never leaving me.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Ty Lee smiled at the princess. “I’m not, I promise. But what if I fall ill, or if I have to visit my family, or if I’m kidnapped. You’ll still have this to remember us.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“If you fall ill, you will be in the care of the Royal Physician. If you have to visit your parents, it will not take more than a few hours before you have to come crawling back to me sobbing your eyes our because they forgot which daughter you were. And you’ll never be kidnapped, you’ll annoy the kidnappers too much. You’d also overpower anyone who dares to lay a finger on you.” Azula reasoned. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t overpower you, and you lay more than fingers on me.” </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Azula blushed at the wording of Ty Lee’s statement and looked away. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Fine, you can keep that stupid thing there. What does it mean anyways?” Azula tried to sound nonchalant. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“PA is Princess Azula, TL is Ty Lee, and the plus sign means that we’re together forever!”  The acrobat explained.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Azula frowned. “My title is much longer than that. You should’ve put P-A-F-N-D-F-L-O-L-U.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s too long.” Ty Lee giggled.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s better fitting.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Okay, I’m sorry.” Ty Lee hugged the princess and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Do you like it?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Azula thought for a second before sighing. “It’s acceptable.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Ty Lee felt the tears fall out of her eyes at the memory of her times with the princess. Her eyes lingered around the room. Everything was as she had seen them the last time she had been there. There was not even one stray hair on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>Out of the corner of her eye, Ty Lee saw something white behind a piece of furniture. She sniffled back a sob and crawled to the furniture. Her hands trembled as she took the white paper that was carefully placed.</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes widened as she saw the familiar handwriting on the piece of paper.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>There isn’t much to be said. If you are Ty Lee, keep reading. If you’re not, do not read. It’s treasonous to disobey the Crown Princess. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Ty Lee. You betrayed me. You betrayed my trust. You lied to me. You should be killed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>But I can’t bring myself to bring you to your doom. It’s pathetic I know, but it seems that lately I’ve been more pathetic than I was born to be.  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>If you’re reading this then I’m already dead. Don’t cry about it. Your tears won’t bring me back. Yes, I killed myself. There are two reasons for why I did this. First, I am alone. There’s nobody by my side, and I can’t trust anyone. Not now, not ever. A princess should never be this alone. It’s not fitting.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Second, it’s because I lost control. Father said I would be Fire Lord, but he would be Phoenix King. I would not have any power; I would not be able to be a leader. There’s no point in being Fire Lord if I can’t do anything he’ll disapprove of. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>I started seeing mother on the mirror. She was telling me that she loved me, but I know she was lying. Nobody loves me. I thought father did, but he burned me like he did Zuzu.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>At one point I thought you loved me, but you never explicitly said it. Furthermore, you betrayed me. I doubt someone who loves me would do that. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Because I am already dead, I can say this without feeling ashamed. Ty Lee, I trusted you blindly and it came to bite me in the rear. The sad part is that, given the chance, I would trust you all over again. You helped me a lot, believe it or not. In a way, I must thank you for everything you did to me. But then again, you betrayed me, so I don’t know how to feel about that. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Maybe I even love you, but I know better than to think that. I’m a monster, mother thought so. A monster cannot love and cannot be loved. It can only be tamed to some extent. Father tamed me, but not completely. Never completely. I have the control of my life; nobody can take that away from me.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>I give you permission to tell whoever you want about our encounters. It might make me seem less of a monster, and Agni knows I need to good publicity. I don’t doubt Zuko spreading rumors and lies about me to defame my name, so I entrust you to keep my name in the Fire Nation good graces. I should not trust you to this. You did betray me. But I have nobody else. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Yours,</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Crown Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, Daughter of Fire Lord Ozai and Lady Ursa</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Ty Lee read the letter. The paper kept getting wet from her tears. But Ty Lee couldn’t stop crying. She hugged the letter and sobbed her heart out. She had been one of the reasons why Azula had ended her life, but Azula still thought about her. In her darkest moments, Azula thought to write to her.</p><p> </p><p>She didn’t notice when the Avatar and his team arrived at the room, not did she notice when she was engulfed in a hug. Her arms still cradled the letter and her eyes still sobbed for her lost lover. Yes, now, after Azula was gone, now was the time when Ty Lee could admit that the princess had been her lover. Maybe she wasn’t the perfect lover, or the perfect person, but she was to Ty Lee. She saw Ty Lee as an individual, as someone she could trust.</p><p> </p><p>“I love you Azula.” Ty Lee cried. If Azula was watching her from wherever her spirit had wandered off to, she probably would not believe the acrobat. But Ty Lee didn’t care. She said it because it was the truth. The truth she was so stupid to hide back when it mattered.</p>
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